On Tuesday 28th May coinciding with the tennis season and with the French Open tournament in full swing, Dr Ann Sumner presented a lecture on the art that has been inspired by the game of lawn tennis since it became popular in the 1880s. Here is a review of the lecture kindly written by local Bath author Rosy Drohan.
“As a huge tennis fan, I was interested to attend a lecture on May 28th, entitled ‘Court on Canvas: Tennis Art’, a part of the Bath Fringe Festival.
It was delivered by Professor Ann Sumner at the Museum of Bath At Work, a wholly appropriate venue as it transpired, when the speaker, herself a Trustee of the museum, was introduced by Board Secretary, Ann Cullis. For the museum was originally a Georgian Real Tennis Court built in 1777 and part of a complex with a Riding School. This surprising early history set the scene for the lecture. Indeed, an exhibit, a replica of the building itself, enabled us to imagine how this lofty space provided exercise for the Georgians, right beneath where we were ourselves were seated on an upper more recent mezzanine floor.
The lecture began with images of eighteenth century French and Italian Real Tennis courts and players. We soon discovered why the new game of lawn tennis inspired so many artists in Britain, as it moved outside into pretty summer gardens and was played by both men and women. The settings depicted were so often elegant rectory gardens, we learnt. We were treated to a stunning array of images from John Lavery’s famous tennis parties to Mary and Edith Hayllar’s delightful tennis tea parties of the 1880’s.
The wide knowledge and huge enthusiasm of the Speaker, herself a keen tennis player, was wholly infectious and Professor Sumner treated us to a fascinating cornucopia of treats, right through works by Eric Ravilious and his Tennis In The Park, to Picasso, David Hockney and Hurven Anderson. We also enjoyed on display, early twentieth century Punch prints of tennis subjects, Gamage’s Catalogue of tennis outfits, silver Victorian jewellery and a signed original photograph of the 1920’s Spanish tennis player, Lili de Alvarez who advocated the benefits of exercise. Professor Sumner’s own inciteful and sumptuous publication was also available and is a tempting addition to delve further into this fascinating subject.
A good audience attended with many thoughtful questions no doubt stimulated by these beautiful images and their excellent presentation. We were relieved to be safely indoors viewing these paintings, such was the downpour outside!
A truly memorable evening”
Rosy Drohan
Feature Image: “Vantage I win” print of 1896 by George Lambert
Below: ‘The Players and Directors of the Tennis Hall, Paris’ anonymous print
